A spark in outland

"A spark in outland" or "Ein gnista utomlands" is a federal adventure novel published by the federal author Tova Tovasdottir and is a hit that pushed the author into the spotlight, while originally from Imeriata proper did the author grow up in Sydvinland where her family moved and the climate and history of the realm she grew up in has clearly affected her writing. However Tova has gotten some critique by her research that can be described as lackluster, especially when it comes to Rohane Alistan culture. While it is true that most federal subjects feel ill or at least very uneasy when visiting the country is this not a universal constant for most humans as the book implies, if this was due to Tova just assuming this was true for everyone or foreshadowing for the main characters' true heritage remains debatable. The golden tower crisis is also hardly mentioned or glossed over in the book making it a bit unfortunate that the book is supposedly taking place in the modern day and age, however as Tova started writing prior to the crisis is this understandable and most likely down to poor planning.

Plot

The plot revolves around Gazzer, a young Alistinian man that is very much down on his luck and trying to find a place in the world in Rohane Alista, while a good horseman and skilled swordsman is he still struggling a lot with college that is slowly burning his will to live out of him, something that is not particularly helped by him working in a small run down store, and him having a girlfriend that constantly tries to push him into taking their relationship further but constantly seems to dodge any questions about marriage. However her family is of a great bloodline so he does not have much say in the matter of continuing the relationship. His parents seems very unwilling to listen to him and there is very little to ease his spiritual suffering. This is not made easier by the fact that the very air in Rohane Alista iis sickening and he like most people visiting it feels ill constantly.

This however changes one day when he passes out due to a lack of sleep and overwork from his studies at his computer, to his shock and horror does a fearsome being appear before him, Bel the lord of Battle and the silver forged God of war appears before him and tells him that in his veins is king blood and that Gazzer can trace his linage back to the ancient Schvart dynasty that once ruled as kings in their ancient realm first as independent princes and later as loyal vassals under the Stjärnkhrone dynasty and that He has come to tell Gazzer that the Gods have tasked him to ride to the Imeriata because an oath his ancestor once swore needs to be upheld and slay a vile demon that once again plans to walk on the mortal plane. To aid him in his duty will Bel give him a mighty sword capable to slay beings of such darkness. He is told to ride to the absolute royal federation and join up with the foes that vouched for him.

Gazzer wakes up in a cold sweat the next morning when he is woken by a running lad knocking on his door to tell him that his employer needs him to show up for work immediately, Gazzer tries to protest that it is a holy day in Alistran religion and they should by ancient rights and obligations be allowed to take part in the required rituals, however the lad simply replies that their boss told him to show up or he is fired and he cares not what day it is. Gazzer is originally about to complain when he to his shock notices the blade he was given to him in his dream rests on his table. Thinking for a moment does he realise that a divine task has been bestowed to him and he simply grab what money he has and some valuables, he heads to work and tells his boss that he need to empty his money automaton for his "God given task" and simply run off with the money after his boss angrily tells him to do what he needs to do.

WIth the money he gets his horse and takes the train down to Malgrave, he is originally held up by the border guard that asks about his identity but he is able to trick his way past them. In Malgrave does he originally intend to take the boat to the Absolute royal federation and heads for the coast. However when he rents a room in an inn is he surprised to run into a section of federal lancers resting after a long tour of duty in the Malgravean Colonial holdings and in Kourmark fighting agaist Grogar. He approaches them, show them his blade and offers them his services. The federals are at first very suspicious and doubt his story telling him that the Gods would clearly not bother with someone without a soul. At this Gazzer gets angry and throws a punch and a brawl breaks out, while able to hold his own is he still outnumbered and gets the feeling that the Imerians are simply toying with him as they form a ring and cheers on as one after another fight him one at a time. However the fight is cut short when a section of Malgravean military constables shows up and demands it to stop. The Imerians reluctantly agrees and their corporal, a man named Fredfri, pays a suitable vergeld to the chief policeman to leave them be and forget the situation happened. However they still demand that Gazzer is to be handed over as he is not part of them, Fredfri points out that they paid for all involved and the Malgravean just shrugs telling them that he cares not.

A second brawl break out and the Imeirians are able to fight off the policemen and drag Gazzer with them as they all bolt for their horses, and tell them to tag along, while hunted by police automobiles does the Imerian cavalrymen jump over a field where mammoths are raised, the police originally hesitate but drives through a gate and attempt to persu them. However an angry mammoth bull charges the police automobile tupping it over. The Malgravean police can only shake their fists at the Imerians and Gazzer as they all ride away laughing at their pursuers. The group makes their way back to the Imerian encampment where they are about to head back to the federation and Gazzer learns that they are from Sydvinland and part of the 15th Vinlander Lanncers and the group admit that he has spirit and a soul of a warrior at least. They break bread with Gazzer and take him into their company as they report back to their troop transport.

The ship leaves without much trouble even if Gazzer notices that a lot of Malgravean policemen shows up and scream at them to stop, something that the ship simply respond to with shouts and laughter and before long are they out on open sea. Gazzer is taken before the squire lieutenant that is revealed to be the uncle of Fredfri which is why he allowed to let him travel with them. A cleric is brought up and Gazzer is put through a trial of fire to determine if his story is true or not, putting his hand into holy fire without reacting with pain convinces the Imerians that Gazzer is truthful, especially after Fredfri vouches for him, that he is following a holy mission and the squire lieutenant makes a request from high command to temporarily give Gazzer a commission in his regiment, a request that is approved.

When reaching Sydvinland does the federals once again ride out into the jungle to a small city where they are quartered, however Gazzer realises that something is very wrong but he cannot put his finger on exactly what. At night is he once again warned by the silvery God of war that a great catastrophe is about to happen, he wakes up and tell Fredfri about his dream and they both warn the squire lieutenant about the vision, after having once again held council with the regimental cleric does the regement goes about to fortify the city. What the vision was about is revealed a few days later when the sky suddenly turns red and a fearsome howling can be heard from the jungle. Fredfri, Gazzer, and their section of lancers ride out to see what has happened and they are meet with a horrid sight, far into the jungle is one of the wretched corpse temples that the natives used to worship in and an unholy demon from the dark cold underworld has raised the dead in the abominable pit. While they attempt to fire at the demon is this proven fruitless and they withdraw back to the city to warn the regiment. Ultimately are the 15th lancers able to put up a defence of the city and get out a message about what is going on.

For days the battle rages and the lancers are able to defend the village but they are pushed back constantly. Ultimately however does the great demon himself join the battle and charges into the centre of the federal defence about to engage the squire lieutenant himself in battle and wounds the great officer dearly. Gazzer and Fredfri however charges the demon and are able to push him back into the federal lines where Gazzer engages him, guided by Bel and in the presence of a great silver statue of the God Himself is gazzer able to strike the acrused thing down. The dead begins to withdraw and the lancers are able to regroup too. As they realise that the dead are once again about to charge however do they all vow to die as honoured warriors and that they will burn as many of their cursed ancestors as possible to give them the rest of death as they should have been granted when they died first.

However the last stand never becomes one as suddenly a regiment of hussars, flanked by a formation of tracklayers and autogyros and supported by two militia cavalry regiments from the nearby city and one from a high class school approaches the city and begins to prepare to charge the dead. The charge is successful and the dead are gathered up and torched. The squire lieutenant summons gazzer from his sickbed and tells him that he is a true warrior and he is proud of to have him under his command. Gazzer is given a small fortune as a reward for his bravery in addition to a small farmstead with some farmers to support his upkeep as part of the regiment, he is then officially promoted to a squire.

Themes

The novel is very heavy biased about Imerian values but it also have some themes about the importance of accepting new people into the federal world, while someone is born a barbarian does this not make them unable to become a civilised gentleman is a message that Tova as an author have been heavily invested in and she is quite vocal about supporting the non-federal people that have recently arrived into the federation and their integration into the social structures of it.